Articles of this kind are intended to be worn by menstruating women or by persons who suffer from relatively light incontinence, and who require the articles to afford protection against leakage but still be unnoticeable when worn beneath conventional clothing. Since the amount of fluid discharged with menstruation and with light incontinence is relatively small, the articles can be designed in a manner which enables them to be accommodated essentially completely in the crotch region of the wearer, between the wearer's thighs. The requirement that such articles shall be discrete when worn is satisfied almost to the full by said articles.
However, it has been found difficult to produce articles of this kind which are sufficiently proof against leakage. The main reason for this is that, when worn, the articles are highly deformed by the forces that are generated as the wearer moves. The greatest deformation normally occurs within that part of the article which, in use, is located in the narrowest space between the wearer's thighs. Unfortunately, this part of the article is also the part which is intended to receive the discharged body fluid first and to absorb said fluid. As a result of this pronounced deformation of the article, the surface area of the article available for direct absorption is, of course, greatly reduced. This increases the risk of body fluid leaking past the side edges of the article and soiling the user's underpants.